Songs from the wood and scaredy cat soup

Friday, October 05, 2012

Well, no point in slacking is there? I may not be on the Cote d'azur any more but there's no excuse for not going for long walks. Less in fact: the weather's cooler here (and how!). So I set off this afternoon with a flask of fruit tea and Bach and Jethro Tull on iPod (I listened to all my favourite songs for a whole week in France, over and over again and now I can't stand any of them) and a plan to walk along the Thames from Ham to Kingston, maybe even as far as Hampton Court if my feet hold out.

Get temporarily mislaid at Ham but have the chance to look at the pond

and the back of Ham House, a beautiful Jacobean place.

Autumn has got its teeth into the landscape already and the trees are turning.

Wander along taking pix.

Find the river, and turn left along it. I've never walked this bit of the path before and it's interesting that it is less kempt than the other bits I've done. I prefer it to be honest. Pass Eel Pie Island, the only inhabited island in the Thames.

Trevor Bayliss, a thoroughly admirable man who invented the Freeplay Radio used to live there, dunno if he still does.

Keep going. The weather is looking iffy. However I am enjoying myself, deviate from the path slightly and find I'm in a strip of woodland, listening to 'Songs from the Wood' by Jethro Tull.

Along here is a lot of prime real estate so mostly it's built up, so this nice bit of common land is very pleasant. Reach a road and turn right to find the riverside path again.

Get to Teddington Lock and see a signpost that says Hampton Court is 5 miles away.

Ah. Oh well, you never know. I feel ok at present, feet bearing up. Eat a thoughtful banana and drink a cup of rather nasty fruit tea (didn't leave the teabag in for long enough, that's why). Keep going. After half an hour, at Kingston, see another signpost that says Hampton Court 2.5 miles, so one of the signposts is telling porkies. However by now it's raining. Not drizzle, but solid drenching rain.

Walk along right at the water's edge for half a mile or so looking at the boat clubs, sailing clubs, canoeing clubs, club clubs etc. Reach end of path and find am on main road. It's pouring with rain too. Decide reluctantly to save Hampton Court for another day. I think you need to cross the river at Kingston and walk on the other side. Good thing I didn't, that's where Bushy Park is

My hounds are often scared to death when I trumpet myself to sleep! I always sit up laughing as they are barking and looking around. My evening snack is always the same - it takes about 4 hours to eat it all, and sometimes longer: grapefruit, orange, tangelo, yogurt and cantaloupe.

Mostly fruit and then the active bacteria in the yogurt - what a noise you can make!! I never knew eating healthy would give me the worst gas I have ever had in my life. But I have decided I enjoy the occasional poot, especially if the dogs get all uptight about it.

Beautiful photos and a wonderful walk you had! Please tell me you at least had an umbrella?

Having read this blog and your next one, I thought I'd share that I once got lost trying to get back to the bus stop from Ham House. (I'm an American unfamiliar with the territory.) Wonderful blogs! Wish I was there to walk with you.

I'd love to amble along with you on such a lovely stroll as you pictured...

And scairdycat soup sounds hilariously delicious!! I hadn't thought about our car not liking sudden noises... I tend to think of soups like this as "Rotor Rooter"... But I don't know if that plays out the same in the UK, as some brand names are more national and not international so much!